Maestrale-class frigate

Maestrale at sea in the Indian Ocean
Class overview
Name:	Maestrale class
Builders:	Fincantieri
Operators:	Marina Militare
Preceded by:	Lupo class
Succeeded by:	Bergamini class
Cost:	Lire 600 billions (1991), eachone
In service:	1982
In commission:	1981
Completed:	8
Active:	7
Retired:	1
General characteristics
Displacement:	3.040 t (2.992 long tons) full load
Length:	- 122.7 m (403 ft) LOA - 114 m (374 ft) LPP
Beam:	12.9 m (42 ft)
Draught:	4.2 m (14 ft)
Propulsion:	- CODOG scheme - 2 × GE/Avio General Electric LM2500 gas turbines 18.380 kW (24.648 hp) eachone - 2 × diesel engines BL-230-20-DVM, 4.044 kW (5.423 hp) eachone - 4 × diesel engine generators A-236-SS, 780 kW (1,050 hp) eachone with Ansaldo generators - 2 × 5-blade propellers
Speed:	33 kn (61 km/h; 38 mph) (21 kn (39 km/h; 24 mph) on diesel)
Range:	6,000 nmi (11,000 km; 6,900 mi) at 15 kn (28 km/h; 17 mph)
Complement:	24 officers 201 sailors
Sensors and processing systems:	- 1 × Selenia RAN-10S/SPS-774 surface and air surveillance radar - 1 × Selenia SMA SPS-702 surface search radar - 1 × Selenia SMA SPS-703 navigation radar (then replaced by one GEM Elettronica MM-SPN 753 Arpa) - 1 × Selenia SPG-75 fire control radar - 2 × Selenia SPG-74 fire control radar (for Dardo) - 1 × Raytheon DE 1146, VDS sonar - 1 × Raytheon DE 1160B, hull mounted sonar
Electronic warfare & decoys:	- (Elettronica Spa MM/SLQ-746) 2 × SLQ-D jammers - 1 × ARBG-1A Saigon radio interceptor - 1 × SLR-4 Newton intercept - 2 × 20-round OTO Melara/Breda SCLAR decoy RL (Dagaie on Grecale) - 1 × AN/SLQ-25 Nixie towed acoustic torpedo system - Prairie/Masker air-bubbler noise-suppression system
Armament:	- 4 × TESEO Mk-2 anti-ship missiles, double launchers - 1 × Albatross octuple Aspide SAM launchers - 1 × Otobreda 127 mm/54 gun - 2 × Oto Melara Twin 40L70 DARDO CIWS - 2 × Browning HB2B 12.7 mm - 2 × MG 42/59 7.62 mm - 2 × 533 mm torpedo tubes (Whitehead B-516, with Whitehead A-184 torpedoes: then removed) - 2 × 324 mm triple torpedo tubes (Whitehead ILAS-3) with Mk-46 Mod.2 torpedoes
Aircraft carried:	- flight deck 27 m (89 ft) x 12 m (39 ft) m - 2 x AB-212 helicopters

The Maestrale class is a class of frigates of the Marina Militare (Italian Navy). The class is composed of eight vessels, all of which were built by Fincantieri S.p. A, Riva Trigoso, except for Grecale, which was built by Fincantieri S.p.A. – Muggiano, La Spezia.

The Maestrale-class frigates were primarily designed for anti-submarine warfare (ASW), however the ships are highly flexible so they are also capable of anti-air and anti-surface operations. Ships of this class have been widely used in various international missions, either under NATO or UN flag, and during normal operations of the Italian Navy.

The first of these ships entered in service in early 1982. The rest of the fleet was launched over the next three years. The ships of the Maestrale class will be replaced by the Bergamini class.

These ships were built with the experience and the technology already developed for the previous Lupo class. The Maestrales were quite bigger and heavier, so they were slower, but still capable of around 32 knots (59 km/h; 37 mph). The ships have a large superstructure, with one large turret and only one funnel. There are two enclosed pyramid masts, one of which is quite low, the other much taller. The superstructure continues without interruption until the hangar, and is made, as usual, with light alloys.

The propulsion system is based on two gas-turbine GE-Avio LM-2500 and two diesel engines, in a combined diesel or gas configuration, that make use of diesel for cruising and turbines for high speed. The only problem with this configuration, which is highly economical, is to make the diesel engines powerful enough to achieve sufficient cruising speed without overloading them, or assist them with a continuous use (at low, uneconomical power) of the turbines. In this case, the solution, already developed for the Lupo-class ships, was successful. The ships have a maximum range of 6,000 nautical miles (11,000 km; 6,900 mi) at 15 knots (28 km/h; 17 mph).